


Hank Crossing

by Candyjar



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Animal Crossing: New Leaf AU, Eventual Romance, Hank-Typical Backstory, Hank-Typical Cursing, M/M, Post-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), tags may be added or updated, writing as i go so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-20 02:49:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17613989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candyjar/pseuds/Candyjar
Summary: Hank just wanted to move away from it all, so he retired from the DPD and booked it, googling the nearest small town and heading that way. He wanted peace and quiet. No work, no worries, no nothin'.Unfortunately for him, some old bastard had apparently had other plans.





	Hank Crossing

**Author's Note:**

> ah, an au no one asked for

Hank sighed, scratching his beard as he watched the scenery roll by outside of the window. He'd never been on a train before, not really. He was used to taxis, subways, his car. Something about the way it moved was unsettling and, at the same time, relaxing. Despite the sense of comfort, he missed his car. If he could have he would've driven down here, blasting Knights of the Black Death and cursing at traffic. Damn old thing had broken down, though, and now here he was.

He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, a figure moving down the train toward his seat. He tensed up, hoping to God that whoever it was wasn't going to talk to him, but as usual he wasn't lucky.

"Oh! Excuse me," Sounded a high pitched voice as the figure stopped in front of him. "I have a quick question for you."

Hank stifled a groan and glanced at the figure without turning his head. It was a short, wide eyed cat with deep red eyes that settled on Hank curiously.

"Yeah?"

The little cat raised a paw up to their chin. "It's now 1:26pm on November 23rd, right?"

A weird way to word that question, but alright. Hank nodded wordlessly and tried to exude as much negative energy as he could, hoping it'd somehow manage to physically push the cat away from his seat.

"I was right! Oh good! This watch of mine, it gets thrown off really easily sometimes!" The cat said with a shrug.

Hank nodded again, trying to remain civil without engaging too much. Hopefully the feline would take the hint and buzz off instead o--

"...I'm just gonna plop down in the seat across from you. If you don't mind, of course!"

Shit.

"Actually, I--" Hank started, but the cat had already sat down, smoothing their paws over their argyle sweater.

"By the way, you... Hold it! Can I ask your name?" The cat asked with a friendly smile.

"...It's Hank." Hank grumbled.

"Oh, Hank...? Well, that's a fantastically great name!"

Hank grunted in response.

"So, Hank... tell me, where are you headed today?"

What was this cat's fucking problem? Who asked this many questions of a stranger? Hank's patience was running thin. The cat didn't seem like he meant Hank any ill will, but it was still annoying. Hank just wanted to enjoy the train ride in peace and get to his destination. He didn't want to have a long conversation with some random passenger.

"Riverton," Hank replied. "Not that it's any of your business."

The cat seemed to ignore or perhaps not notice the aggression coming off of him in waves, simply placing their paw on their chin again. "Hmmmm. Riverton, yeah, OK... Don't think I've heard of it. I wonder where it is..."

If Hank hadn't been working as a cop for so long he might've been sure this cat was some sort of serial killer, but he wasn't sensing anything off about the cat. His instincts were keen, old as he was, and he could tell the cat was just socially awkward. Didn't mean he hated it any less, though. The cat mumbled to themselves some more, mentioning a map and taking it out. The cat looked over it for a bit before showing it to Hank, who offered nothing more than a grunt of affirmation.

"So do you get to go to Riverton very often?" They asked.

"I don't remember." He lied with a shrug.

He hadn't been there before, but he thought that might offer some sliver of conversation for the cat to follow, and he just wanted to stop talking and get back to staring out of the window.  


"What?! Really?!” The cat exclaimed, eyes wide. “Umm... What are you going there for?"

"I don't know." Hank lied again.

_Please don't ask more questions. Please, God, I am begging you._

The cat said something else, but Hank was only half listening.

"Yeah, I think I will." He said, not really knowing what he'd just answered.

The cat kept talking, so Hank started tuning them out, staring pointedly out the window. When the speaker finally came on and announced that they were arriving in Riverton Station, Hank sighed in relief.

"Oh, hey! Looks like we're about to arrive in Riverton," The cat said. "Thanks for chatting with me! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a train ride this much!"

Hank stared at the ceiling. The cat kept talking. Hank considered how much money he had on him and if he'd be able to get a drink somewhere once he got to town.

"OK, good luck, Hank! Bye-bye!" The cat said as the train, thank Christ, pulled to a stop.

"Yeah, uh huh. See ya." Hank said, grabbing his luggage and zipping out of there as fast as he could.

Finally. Thank God. No more people, no more talking, just unpacking and getting settled.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans, and as soon as he stepped foot out of the station, he was surrounded by people. Well, animals. Riverton was a small town mostly populated by them -- he'd probably be the only human living there, even. They were watching him expectantly, big eyes looking him over. There were four; a small yellow dog standing off to the side, a large brown and white dog with a huge head, a blue and red alligator of some kind with massive jaws, and a small blue cat.

"Oh my gosh!" The small blue cat exclaimed, her voice high pitched and grating. "Look who just got into town!"

"Boof." Said the large dog, a string of drool dripping from his jowls.

"Smells like whiskey." The alligator mumbled.

It felt like they were all talking at once. Hank was frozen to the cobblestone ground. The fuck was this? An ambush?

"Okay, everyone! Here we go... Ready?" The little yellow dog started. "And... From those of us in Riverton..."

"Welcome!" They all shouted in unison.

Ah. Must be a small town thing. The yellow dog stepped closer, her smile a ray of sunshine.

"Mayor! We're so happy you're finally here!"

Hank could practically hear the record-scratch sound effect. Fucking _what?_

"Huh?" He said stupidly. "Mayor who?"

The dog paused, tilting her head at him. He could feel the collective gaze of the other animals still on him.

"Um... Oh," She giggled. "Come on! Quit joking around. You know exactly who you are! You told us which train you'd be arriving on!"

"That wasn't...me, what?"

"Oh no! You can't fool me! Things are just as you said they'd be! All is well. There's no mistake! Tee hee! You're a real jokester!"

Yeah. A real fuckin' jokester, that's what he was.

"W-wait, now hold on here, I--"

"Well, let's continue this discussion at the town hall, shall we?" The dog interrupted. "Here's a map of Riverton for your reference, Mayor Anderson."

How the hell did she know his last name? What the fuck was going on? He took the map from her, staring down at it blankly.

"You can follow me to the town hall! We'll go hammer the rest of this out down there!" She smiled, motioning for him to follow.

The other animals started to disperse, and for a moment Hank was rooted in place. She glanced at him and motioned again. He forced his legs to move, dragging his luggage behind him, confusion clouding his brain. He needed a fucking drink.

* * *

The town hall was a rather small brick building with white trim and a green roof. It was a lot smaller than Hank had expected, but considering the size of the town, he supposed it made sense. The pup opened the door and he awkwardly shuffled in, standing his luggage up beside the door. Somehow, it looked bigger on the inside than it had on the outside, although that certainly didn't mean it was big. The floor was hardwood in diagonal patterns, and Hank caught sight of something he hadn't expected -- another human, beyond the green desk that separated the office area from the waiting area. The pup walked in after him, gesturing to the room they stood in, which seemed to be the entirety of the town hall. 

"Mayor, this town hall will be your base of operations. Oh! And I completely forgot to mention I'm on staff here too! I'm Isabelle, your secretary, and I'm here to help you in any way I can."

She pointed out the man beyond the desk, who hadn't even looked up since they came in. He seemed to be working on paperwork of some kind.

"That's Connor," Isabelle said. "He's your assistant, and much like me he'll be helping you out! I take care of quite a lot, but he's a very good helper too. You can come to either of us whenever you need anything!"

She examined him, a small paw resting on her scruffy chin. "But if I may be frank, I was surprised to see someone as young as you step off the train."

_Young?_ Now that was rich. Hank hadn't been described as 'young' for a long fucking time, that was for sure.

"I mean, our former mayor held the position for many, many years and was quite set in his ways," Isabelle continued. "But youth is a breath of fresh air. And exactly the new image our town needs! You're perfect for the job!"

"Okay, hold on. I'm fifty three years old, there's no way in hell you can consider that young."

Isabelle chuckled. "Like I said, our former mayor was mayor for quite a long while. You're considerably younger."

"How fuckin' old was this guy?" Hank asked, confounded. "What was he, a pile of dust? Christ."

Isabelle rubbed the back of her head. "Not quite, but he was certainly much older than you. At any rate, of course we need you to get started right away on your work as mayor. Therefore, first we must complete your resident registration. A mayor really should be a resident!"

She laughed and pointed in Connor's direction again. "He'll process your registration. In the meantime, I'll make sure we've got everything else we'll need to do lined up!"

She gave him a polite nod and then padded out of the town hall, the bells atop her head jingling. Hank watched her leave and shifted in place, looking over toward the man across the main desk. He took a breath and walked over, leaning against the counter and clearing his throat.

"Hey, uh, Connor, right?"

Connor finally looked up from what he was doing, his deep brown eyes staring into Hank's. He looked oddly familiar, but Hank couldn't place why.

"Yes. It is nice to meet you, Mayor Anderson. I will be processing your registration. Please cross over the main desk so we can begin."

Hank nodded and made his way over, approaching the other desk while Connor stood and moved to the side.

"You may sit here." Connor said, gesturing to the desk chair.

Hank sat as he was told, though he wasn’t really sure why.

"Now, we will begin by--"

"Wait, hold on," Hank said, looking up from the chair. "I wanna start by saying that I think there's been some kinda huge mistake. I ain't a mayor. I never uhh... applied for the job, or ran, or... anything."

Connor looked him over. "Hank Anderson. Previously a Lieutenant in the DPD. Fifty three years old. You're the right man, Mayor Anderson. There has been no mistake."

Hank furrowed his brows. How the hell did this guy know all that information?

"That doesn't make sense, though. Like I said, I didn't run or whatever. I can't be mayor. Hell, I don't even have any experience in politics."

"No experience? An odd choice, then, certainly."

"Yeah, exactly! Why the hell would I be mayor? I just moved down here to retire, not get a whole new job, especially one I don't even have experience with."

Connor nodded. "I understand. However, despite the logistics being questionable, there is still no mistake. The previous mayor is the one who chose you for this job, specifically. You are the mayor, whether you fit the basic requirements or not."

"Wasn't he some ancient geezer? Probably didn't know what the hell he was saying. How'd he even know about me, anyway?"

"I am not sure. He did not explain his reasonings when he spoke to me," Connor said, tilting his head. "Do you mean to tell me you were not aware of this?"

"Not aware at all! Like I said, I came down here to _retire_. I've got no clue what the fuck is goin' on. How the hell can you even become mayor without runnin' or some shit? Shouldn't that be illegal or something?"

"Here, not technically. Animals tend to have differing laws, as I'm sure you are aware, and as this is an animal-centric town, the laws reflect that. The previous mayor named you his successor, and that is enough for you to qualify for the job. If you truly do not want it, you could try to repeal it, but it could take months and quite a lot of paperwork. That said, I can start on the paperwork as soon as you'd like me to." Connor replied.

Hank sighed, dragging a hand over his face. Why does shit like this always happen to him, of all people? Can't life just give him a fucking break already? Hasn’t it kicked his ass enough?  


"I... yeah, I guess that'd be...fine. Months, though? Jesus. I'm gonna have to be doing mayor crap the whole time, huh?"

Connor nodded. "Yes. Regardless, we have to begin your registration process. As I already know your full name, we'll need your address next."

"Oh, shit. I don't have one."

"...You don't have one?"

"Nah, I never actually... got a place. I just packed up and left everything." Hank replied, face in his hands as he leaned over the top of the desk.

"That seems illogical." Connor said.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it."

"You'll need to speak with Tom Nook, then, and purchase property. Then we can move forward with the registration. Would you like me to accompany you?" Connor asked.

"Yeah, that'd be nice. Don't know who the fuck that is."

Connor nodded. "Follow me, Mayor."

* * *

Hank rubbed his hands together as they walked in the direction of the train tracks, the crisp, cold breeze digging under his coat. The town hall wasn't too far from the station, thankfully, but now that he wasn’t distracted by a crowd of animals, Hank was realizing he should’ve brought a bigger coat with him. He glanced at Connor, who kept a neutral and unreadable expression.

"So," Hank started conversationally. "I was pretty surprised to see another human here. Thought I'd be the only one. How long have you lived here?"

Connor glanced at him, raising a brow before returning his gaze to the front. "I've been stationed here since August. However, you are mistaken -- I am not human."

Hank shot him a confused look. "Wh--"

"I am an android." Connor replied, turning his head and pointing to his temple.

For the first time, Hank noticed the small LED there. He hadn't been at a right angle to see it since he'd met the m-android, not that he'd been looking for it anyway. Most androids he'd come across had taken their LEDs out to begin with.

"Oh," He said simply, suddenly feeling awkward and tense. "Stationed?"

"I was sent by CyberLife in August as a tool for the police department. I was a gift to the mayor. However, as there is little crime here and no police station, I was given an assistant position in the mayor's office instead." Connor replied, stepping over the tracks.

“Wait, there’s no fuckin’ police station here?” Hank asked, stopping in surprise.

“No. As I said, there is little crime. There are a couple officers who get called in to deal with things, but no physical station. Usually they take care of things in the town hall.”

"Oh. Weird, but okay. So you still work here, even after the revolution?" Hank asked, moving again and following him up to the main street.

Connor nodded. "It is what I was made for."

"You ever think of doing somethin' else?"

"No," He said, gesturing toward one of the buildings that lined the street. "That is Tom Nook's shop. Go speak to him. I will wait here, Mayor."

* * *

It was a surprisingly easy process. Tom Nook seemed like a kind enough raccoon-dude, and he got Hank set up with a tent until his house could be built. He chose a nice quiet area near the river (and away from the neighbors), which Isabelle later commended. He finished his registration, was given a quick rundown of what he'd be expected to do, was forced to plant a tree for some reason Hank wasn't paying attention to, and was sent to meet the residents. Connor offered to help him around, and while Hank had protested at first (he _had_ a town map after all, and he wasn't some directionless dumbass), he'd begrudgingly accepted when Connor pointed out that some townsfolk wouldn't be at home and thus would be harder for a human to find. Apparently Connor could just sort of scan the area as they walked and register when a resident was nearby, so Hank sucked up his attitude and followed.

There were six townsfolk in all, not counting Hank, Connor, Isabelle, or any of the shopkeepers. Hank didn't really think you could call this a town, but he didn't actually know enough about populations and shit to say for sure. The villagers all seemed nice enough, except maybe for Del, who was exactly Hank's kinda dude. Grumpy, a bit on the older side. He had a bite outside of his large alligator chompers, and Hank respected it. Rosie was a sweet cat, but she was just as grating as she'd seemed when he'd heard her at the train station. Tank was overbearingly sporty and made Hank vaguely uncomfortable, but he was alright. Sumo was a big loveable oaf, Hank could tell. Fauna was a sweet deer, and Sylvia seemed like a kindhearted kangaroo, but seeing her kid made Hank's heart hurt. He couldn't even remember the kid's name. Joey, maybe? Or was that just a thing she kept saying? Whatever.

By the time he was done meeting everyone and running around the town, it was already getting dark, and Hank's entire body and mind were exhausted. He knew moving was stressful, but this was fucking ridiculous.  


"Feeling rundown?" Connor asked, standing off to the side with his arms behind his back, staring down at Hank.

Hank looked up at him from the large rock he was sitting on. Connor looked too damn perfect, like he hadn't been dragging a fifty year old man around an entire town for the better half of the day. Hank hated it, he decided as he wiped some sweat from his brow.

"Nah, feelin' just peachy." Hank replied sarcastically, his mouth drawn into a thin frown as he looked away from the android.

"Are you? Well then, perhaps you'd like to do some more exploring?"

Hank groaned. "How much shit is there to even explore?! This town is tiny! How much more walking do you people expect me to do?"<

"There are many shops on main street you have yet to see, as well as Re-Tail--"

"Tomorrow. Please. I'm way too dead for this shit."

"I thought you were feeling," Connor's expression shifted just slightly, something akin to a smirk. "'Just peachy'?"

"I was being sarcastic," Hank grumbled. "Where can I get a fuckin' drink in this place? I could use one."

"A drink?"

"Yeah, ya know," Hank mimed knocking back a shot. "A drink. Booze."

"Ah, alcohol. We have no such establishment here." Connor replied.

Hank stared wordlessly into the sky, silently wishing for a flying ice cream truck to fall on him.

"Mayor Anderson?"

"I think I might kill someone."

"That would be ill-advised."

"Whatever. No jail to book me in, whatcha gonna do?”

“That will hardly stop you from getting in trouble, Mayor.” Connor said, the corner of his mouth twitching upward so little that Hank didn’t notice it.

“Then I'm going home to die in peace." Hank said, rising and wincing as his entire body protested his decision to stand up.

Connor nodded, stepping aside as Hank shouldered his way past him. "Good night, Mayor."

Hank grunted in response, trudging home to his shitty little tent by the river. Ducking in, he came to the sudden terrible realization that he didn't have a fucking bed. No different than blacking out on his kitchen floor in terms of comfort, he supposed. Well, a little different, considering the cold November air that was trying to worm its way into the tent. He flicked off the lantern that Isabelle had gotten him and settled down on the ground with a groan, regretting everything.

**Author's Note:**

> i went with some odd choices here and there's like several other ways i could've written this (thought about making the town jericho but hank being the mayor instead of markus would've been weird, and i didn't want to get rid of the animals...) but i decided on this. so the villagers are still animals, and androids are also a thing askjnjfbdf  
> there's gonna be some differences, i'm not going to be following acnl's whole thing to a t, so please excuse the inaccuracies !  
> i'm just sorta winging it so i'm not 100% sure where it's going, but i do know it is going to be gay! :)


End file.
